Touring Natchitoches, Louisiana, feels like strolling onto a movie set.
Maybe that’s because the area was featured prominently in the classic film “Steel Magnolias.” Or perhaps it’s due to the charming historic downtown, with its wrought-iron balconies and beautiful homes with stately live oaks.
Whatever the reason, groups love visiting Natchitoches, where they take sunset river cruises, tour plantations, visit the filming locations used in “Steel Magnolias” and amble the incredible 33-block Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District along Cane River Lake.
One of the best times to visit is during the fall festival season, after the temperature drops. Other great options include the Christmas Festival of Lights or Mardis Gras.
Guests come for the city’s nostalgia and to shop at Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile, Louisiana’s oldest general store. They visit downtown art galleries and browse specialty shops that offer crafts, home décor and antiques.
“We are known for our historic charm, festive traditions and warm hospitality,” said Ariana Rachal from the Natchitoches Convention & Visitor Bureau. “Tour groups love our rich history, small town atmosphere and annual festivals that show our authentic Louisiana culture.”
Louisiana’s Oldest Settlement
Natchitoches (pronounced NAK-a-tish) is the oldest permanent settlement in Louisiana. Its name comes from the Natchitoches Indian word meaning “Place of the Pawpaw,” and the town boasts a fascinating history as a French trading outpost, a gateway to Texas and a unique cultural blend of French, Spanish and Creole traditions.
Cotton once reigned as king, and even today, visitors can see cotton fields while driving country roads. Much of this history is captured at the 63-acre Cane River Creole National Historical Park, which includes Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in America. Both offer tours displaying the landscaping and buildings that once stood there.
The plantations do not shy away from their past. At Magnolia Planation, as many as 24 two-room brick slave cabins once housed a family in each room. Even after the Civil War through the 1960s, Magnolia remained a successful farming operation.
Melrose Plantation was built by and for free people of color with a blend of French, African and Native American influences. It served as a hub for writers and artists, including Clementine Hunter, whose vibrant paintings of plantation life are on display.
To experience local military history, groups can visit the Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, a replica of an 18th-century fort, along with Los Adaes State Historic Site, a strategic outpost that served as the capital of Texas and features the remains of a Spanish fort. The Fort Jesup State Historic Site is where thousands of settlers once passed on their way to Texas.
Meat Pies and Cajun Delights
No visit is complete without eating a Natchitoches meat pie, a featured menu item at restaurants like Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant. The pie consists of ground beef, pork or a blend of both, seasoned with the Cajun trinity: onions, bell peppers and celery.
And while staying in Natchitoches, be sure to sample deep-fried Louisiana corn fritters, chicken and sausage gumbo, crawfish and other Cajun delights.
Another restaurant known for Cajun cuisine is The Loft at Five Thirty, which offers ribs, fresh seafood and traditional jazz each Thursday. A wide variety of other live music echoes throughout Natchitoches, including Zydeco, country, gospel, blues and rock.
St. Augustine Catholic Church in Natchez, about a 20-minute drive south of Natchitoches, is the cultural center of the Cane River area’s French, Spanish, Native American and Black Creole community. It was built for free people of color and stands as a testament to the resilience and faith of the Creole community.
Groups can tour several sites around town that featured prominently in “Steel Magnolias.” The home of lead character Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, played in the film by Julia Roberts, is the most popular stop on a film tour. But groups also visit St. Augustine Catholic Church where Shelby was married, Mrs. Robeline’s Boarding House on Rue Touline and American Cemetery, where Shelby’s funeral took place. Susan Harling Robinson Memorial Park, near the Steel Magnolias House, features the film’s actresses and honors playwright Robert Harling’s sister, Susan, who was the real-life inspiration for Shelby.
A wonderful way to experience it all is to board the red, white and blue Cane River Queen for a cruise. Captain Paul Lohr shares interesting facts about Natchitoches history as the ship passes the Rue Beauport Riverfront, a project that revitalized the riverbank.
For those who prefer water sports to enjoy the river, visitors can rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, either as a solo adventure or with a group.
Rivertown Festivals
Natchitoches boasts a long list of beloved festivals.
When temperatures are high in July, guests enjoy folk crafts and Cajun music at the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival, held in the air-conditioned Prather Coliseum of Northwestern State University.
A few weeks later, Natchitoches hosts the Cane River Zydeco Festival on Labor Day weekend, followed by the Meat Pie Festival and the relatively new and popular Bigfoot Festival.
A major attraction during the first weekend each October is the Classic Car Show, when people drive their vintage cars from the West Coast and other places, parking along the river and on downtown streets. Also during October, Tappedtober offers craft beers, wine and a great musical lineup.
One of the best-known events is the annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival, which runs for six weeks until January 6. Visitors pack the town to experience the parade, live entertainment, carnival rides, river cruises and carriage tours, as well as to see streets covered with 300,000 lights.
The town continues the party during Mardis Gras, when all of Louisiana celebrates with live music and king cakes.
No matter what time of year people visit, Natchitoches provides a warm welcome to everyone.
“One thing that sets us apart is our welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere,” Rachal said. “Locals love our tourists and treat them as family.”summer. Spectacular fall foliage and in winter, the snow truly transforms the garden. And it’s always 85 degrees in the Climatron!”
Adjacent to the gardens, Tower Grove Park is also worth a visit.
The area between Forest Park and the botanical gardens, called “the Hill,” is a place to relax after touring, home to classic St. Louis culture. Italian immigrants began to arrive in the 1880s, joining the Irish, German and African-American enclave that had sprung up near the city’s highest point. Home to baseball great Yogi Berra, the Hill was also the birthplace of St. Louis-style pizza. Square-cut and graced with gooey Provel cheese, the savory pie originated in 1964 at the first Imo’s Pizza, still family-owned and now a successful regional chain.
The city’s signature appetizer, toasted ravioli, is said to have been invented at Charlie Gitto’s. It’s available there as well as at the neighborhood’s other Italian eateries. For dessert, try gooey butter cake, a favorite found all over the city.
